Barrow County Animal Control Director Stephen F. Eades resigned Friday afternoon. Board of commissioners Chairman Danny Yearwood said Friday night that he told Eades earlier in the afternoon that he would be demoted and no longer serve as the animal control director. Eades was offered a position as an animal control officer, but chose to resign instead.

“I told him I thought we needed a supervisory change,” Yearwood said, noting that complaints from the public were one of the precipitating factors in his decision to replace Eades. On Jan. 8, the staff of the animal shelter accidentally put to death the wrong dog.

Replacing Eades for now is James F. Terrell, the county’s risk manager. Yearwood said he moved risk management into the Human Resources Department and tapped Terrell, the former Winder police chief, to take the helm of animal control as the department prepares to move into a new center now under construction off Barrow Park Drive.

“He said he would look at it as a challenge,” Yearwood said. “I told him he’s the only person in the county qualified to turn that department around.”

Eades is the fourth manager in Barrow County’s government to resign in the past two weeks. The planning and development director left earlier in the week, along with Keith Lee, the former chief administrator, whose last day on the job was Friday, Feb. 13. The last day at work for assistant county administrator Michael Fischer is Feb. 20.

Two other employees were also laid off during the past week. The two were in the county planning department and lost their jobs due to a lack of work and not their performance, Yearwood said.

Read the article ...this was not a layoff. This was a case of someone's performance not being up to the new standards. He was offered a non-leadership position and his choice was to leave. What a refreshing concept ---a chairman holding people accountable for their actions and ensuring the taxpayers are getting their money's worth.

"Two other employees were also laid off during the past week. The two were in the county planning department and lost their jobs due to a lack of work and not their performance, Yearwood said."
Quote directly from the article...perhaps you need to re-read the article yourself.

Mr. Terrell is a nice choice to get everything on the right track, BUT what the County will still need is an actual Director that has been involved in Animal Control. But, I do know that the remaining people are celebrating tonight with the GREAT news! Way to keep the positives going Mr. Yearwood.

Why are you afraid that Jimmy will do his job? The political machine of Buddy Ouzts is why Jimmy left Winder. FYI get your facts straight Jimmy was not fired he left because he refused to break the law when Buddy tried to order him too. Jimmy Terrell is a fine upstanding person who tries to do what is right. Sometimes the (elected) got upset because he tried to enforce the law on all and some of Buddy's friends were the ones breaking the law.

Terrell "resigned" instead of being fired. It's a technicality which allows him to save face in his resume. He's also a failed candidate for Barrow county sheriff, running a poor third -- so he's hardly a hero in Barrow, despite how he tries to paratroop-bill himself. A decade ago, he couldn't even get a job in security at Chateau Elan.

I had a problem last year with dogs in our neighborhood. And I just want to say that the Officer that took up our plight was SOOOOO HELPFUL.

This guy spent the time necessary and did all of the documentation needed to make the case complete for the Judge. There were also two other officers at Animal Control who had answered calls on these same dogs and they too came to court and presented their information very professionally.

Our case was resolved successfully by the lady Judge...she was spot on great!

I just wanted to post this here for those Officers who did this for us.

Mr. Eades and the compliance officer were very helpful in my own stray dog complaint. They had enough documentation to get the dog owners severely fined and on probation. After the story about Eades resignation hit on Friday, my street once again became full of roaming dogs. I don't know the new directors history, but he will get a call from me tomorrow.

I just hope that the Animal Control department can start doing what they are supposed to do. I have lived in Winder for 3years now and have placed many calls concerning stray animals and haven't received much help. My dog was attacked not too long ago and I as told they would be on patrol on a daily basis but guess what? I haven't seen any one and there are still strays wandering the streets. I just wish people would be responsible pet owners and obey the laws.

Barrow County Sheriff Dept. and or animal control has completely failed the citizens recently. For two months, two horses have been repeatedly found on the loose. Last night one of the horses was hit by a car. Hopefully the driver was not killed or hurt. The owner of the horses was arrested for some kind of warrant. The other horse was LET GO!! Someone is going to get killed. It is bad enough to dodge deer, but HORSES! Yes it is the owners fault but when he has shown he is NOT going to keep them up, they should be taken or shot!

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